Associating mechanism



6 Sheets-Sheet l H. V. BALL ASSOCIATING MECHANISM Filed April 20, 1927 lllllilllllllllvllul l I WPII I'I -l l Incl INVENTOR A'rlvs.

May 19,1931.

6 Sheets-Sheet 2 v. BALL ASSOCIATING MECHANISM Filed April 20, 1927 May 19, 1931.

May 19, 1931. H. v. BALL 1,805,681

ASSOCIATING MECHANISM Filed April 20. 1927 G SheetS-Sheet a AT'FYs.

May 19, 1931. H. v. BALL ASSOCIATING MECHANISM Filed April 20, 1927 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 May 19, 1931. v. BALL 1,805,681,

AS SOGIATING MECHANI SM Filed April 20, 192 7 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 *[INVENTO 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed April 20, 1927 PIIIIIIL w M A W M naivise-Lt; or conceal); ranssscrzusnrrs; assrenonro n rzon & 00., we, or new a. Yonn n. Y.', A ooa-ronarron on NEW YORK assoeie'rrire Application filed April 2%,

This

/ "tween for ready access to the printing" units, so that a press arrangement of large capacity is provided in a compact form so as to niini- V inize as far as possible the press room space requiredi, the foldersand web guides for the presses being so arranged that the units of each press may be'asso'c'iated in groups delivering t0 the folders of, that press, or the products of the units of one press be led across the aisle orspaee' an'd 'associ'a-ted with the products of some or all of the units of the other press a wide rangeof prod-uctsbeing obtainable by this arrangement.

A further object of the invention is to roduce such a press arrangement in which the use of angle bars is eliminated or reduced, and in which the inside folding cylinders'of the presses may be soarranged as to shorten the web run where the' web or webs are led over one presstoth'e other. I I

WVith these and other objects not specifical- 1y referred to in View, the invention consists in certain novel parts, arrangements and coin binations which will be described connection with the accompanying drawings and then'ovel features pointed out in the claims hereunto appended. I l Two arrangements for effecting the objects of the invention are shown in the drawings. In one of these arrangements there are provided two presses, each press consisting of a plurality of units arranged side by side with a space or aisle between.; each of these presses'including a plurality ofunits and folders. The web guides are arranged to guide the webs of each press to a folder it folders of that press, or to guide a web or Webs of one press, after they have passed the formers; across the aisle and associate thein with the products coming from another press; In anotherarrangenient there in large multi-pre'ss arrangements in i eed side by side; with space or aisle he- I Measures rm Serial no. resist;

anplan' iew of one press arrangement enihodyi Q; the invention, Figurela being a continuation of Figure 1'; x I l I I Figures 2 andQa show aside" elevation of one of thepresses shown in Figuresl and 1a, Figure 2a beinga continuation of Figure 2; Figure 3 is a diagrammatic end View of the presses showing one arrangement of the folding and delivery mechanism and one lead of the webs; I

t Figure 4 is a View siinilar'to Figure" 3' show; ing a nodification of the arrangement of the folding cylinders and one lead or the webs across from one" pi ss to another;

Figure 5is a view similar to Figured showins; another lead of the webs; I

Figursfi and 6a show a'diagrainrna'tic side elevation at a second arran'gernent which them; In the machine illustrated, each of these presses includes Si); 1 printing units, those e'f press P beinpj narked 1 to 6 ln'clusiv'e', and those of press I being marked 7 'inay be employed showing'two'presses supervposed with the roll supplies above andbe'low to 12 inclusive. I Each of the presses is pro- II "sided with end folders and folders intermediate certain of the printing units. As shown, the press P is provided with end formers AA and intermediate formers BB, and the press P is provided with end formers CG' and intermediate formers DD, and it will be observed that the folders and printing units of the two presses are arranged opposite one another. 7

It will be understood that this number of units and the arrangement of the folders have been selected as illustrative only of the invention, and that other units and folders can be added to the presses as desired, two such additional folders in dotted lines in Figures 1a and 2a.

I Each of the printing units, in the particular constructionillustrated, is the same, and each unit, as shown, includes a printing and perfecting couple, the form cylinders of each being marked 16, 17 and the impression cylinders 18, 19, the form cylinders being inlred by inking mechanism indicated at 20. In the particular arrangement shown, where each press includes six printing units, each press will be fed from SlX webs, those of press P being shownand marked 21, 22, 23, 24, 25

and 26, which are fed into the presses over guide rolls 27,28 and 29 from suitable sources ofweb supply, not illustrated. Each of the formers, in the particular machine shown, is, as before indicated, a double former, the webs being slit by slitters 30 before passing over the formers.

Each former has cooperating therewith a folding and delivery mechanism, and formers A-A' of press P and formers CO of press P and their cooperating folding mechanisms are shown, it being understood that the same arrangement may apply to the formers BB', DD'.

Referring first to former A, the web passes to a pair of forwarding rolls 31, 32, and from these to a pair of cooperating cutting and collecting cylinders 33, 34, the cylinder 34 being provided with sheettaking devices, as pins 35, and a folding blade 35, it being understood, of course, that these parts are supported in suitable framing of any desired character, not illustrated. From the cutting cylinders 33, 34, the products of former A may pass to a fly 36 and be taken away from the press by a tape delivery 37. A guide roll 38 is also provided located between the forwarding rolls 31, 32 and the cutting and collecting cylinders, for purposes hereinafter referred to.

The products are led from former A by a pair of forwarding rolls 39, 40 to a pair of cooperating cutting or collecting cylinders 41, 42, thecylinder 42 being provided with pins 43 and a folding blade 43, and the procucts from the cylinder 42. may be delivered to a fly 44 from which the products may be taken from thepress by a tape delivery 45. A guide roll 46, similar to the roll 38, is proilF being shown 7 vided for the folding mechanism of former A and, in addition, there is provided a pair of guide rolls 47, 48 located between the former A and the former A, which will hereinafter be referred to.

Referring now to formers CC', the products from former C are taken off by a pair of forwarding rolls 50, 51 to a pair of cutting and collecting cylinders 52, 53, the cylinder 52' being provided with sheettaking pins 54 and a folding blade 54, and the products are forwarded to a fly from which they are taken from the press by a tape delivery 56. The products from former C are forwarded by a pair of forwarding rolls 57, 58 to cutting and collecting cylinders 59, 60, the cylinder 59 being provided with sheet taking devices, as pins 60. anda folding blade 60", and from this cylinder the products are forwarded to fly 61 and taken from the press by a tape delivery 62. A guide roll 63 is provided for the folding mechanism of former C and a guide roll 64 for the folding mechanism of former C, and located between the formers C U is'a pair of guide rolls 65, 66, similar to the guide rolls 47, 48, before referred to. l Jith the mechanism so far described, it will be seen that the webs from formers AA may be led to either pair of cutting and collecting cylinders, as may be the webs from formers CC. In accordance with the invention, guides will also be provided whereby a web or webs of either press may be directed from below the formers of one press across the aisle to a former or formers bf the other press for associating with the webs coming from the latter. Thus a wide range of products may be obtained without taking up undue space in the press room.

Such arrangement of guides is shown in Figures 4 and 5', where to the right of former A is shown a pair of guide rolls 6?, 68, and to the left of former C is shown a pair of guide rolls 69, 70. It will also be observed that, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the folding mechanisms of formers A and C, that is, the inside mechanisms are offset with respect to their formers toward each other, so that the run across is shortened. This arrangement is a preferred one, but is not essential and the arrangement can be as hown in Figure3, if desired.

Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and 5, it will be observedthat various runs of the web from formers AA and CC may be provided. Thus in Figure 3 the webs from former A may be led over the guide rolls 47, 48 and 38 to the cutting and collecting cylinders 33, 34 and associated wit i the webs from former A, or the webs from each former may he directed to the respective cutting mechanisms of'these two formers. 7

Similarly, the webs from former C may be led over guide rolls 65, 66 and 63 and associated with the webs from former C at the .ing cylinder.-

cutting cylinders 53, 54, or the webs maybe l-eddirect from these formers to their respective cutting cylinders; I

If now a different product is desired, the webs from the formers [ii-Ht] may be associated and be led across the aisle 1 and asso ciated with the webs from former C, this being effected after. the webs from [h -1th have gone past the formers, the webs being led from below the formers. Such an arrangement is shown in Figure i, where webs from former pass over the guide r 47, 48 and 46 and meet the webs from former A which pass over guide rolls 67, 4&8, the webs then. going across the aisle and meeting the webs from former C at guide roll 70, the webs from former C going to roll over guide roll 69, these webs thus being associated and being directed to the cutting cylinders 53, 545. In this particular arrangement the webs from former C may go direct to cutting and collecting cylinders 59, 60.

In Figure 5 is shown a different run of the webs for producing other products'in' which all the webs from all the formers s a and C O may be associated, the webs from being led across the aisle, to one pair of cutting and collecting cylinders. In the arrangement shown in this figure, the webs from former G are led over the guide rolls 65, 66, 63 and are associated with the webs from former C, which are led over the guide rolls 69, 70, these associated webs, after they leave the formers, crossing. the aisle from below the formers and meeting the websfroin formers A directed to the cutting cylinders 41, 42. will be observedthat the guide rolls 4?, d8,

65, 66, 67, 68 and 69,- 70 are offset from each other, so as to compensate for the variations in the distances betweenthe formers and the folding cylinders, where the web fronione former is led. across its folding mechanism to the folding mechanism of an adjacent former and thus insure the sheets being in the right position'when they reach the foldl I will be seen therefore, that various combinations of products can be obtained by the arrangement shown. it is important to note that by cross-associating the websfrom beiow the formers and coliecting, two products, each having a central double page, may be produced, which is desirable in some circumstances, as for instance where the printed matter of these pages is adver rig, 1

T he invention also provides means, for obtaining great flexibility in arranging the various units in sets and combining their products without taking up undue space in the press room, and some of the combinations possible with the present arrangement will now be described.

Referring to Figures 1, 1a, 2, 2a, the units may be arranged so that they can deliver A at guide roll 68 and beingtheir products together in sets of varying numbers without the webs passing over an idle folder. Thus, for instance, the webs from units 1,2 and 3 may go to formers AA the webs from units 4, 5 and 6 maygo to formers BB' ;"the webs from units 7, 8 and 9 may go to formers CC, and the webs from units 10, 11 and 12 may go to formers D D, this arran ement producing a combination of four sets of three units with no idle folder; I V 7 Or the webs from units 1, 2, after passing over the formers A.-A may be associated with web's from units 7 and 8 belowthe formers CC";"or the webs from units 7 and 8, afte'r'passing over the formers CCf may be associated with webs-from units 1, 2 below the iormers- A" A; webs from :units 3, 4, 5 and 6 may be led to formers B'B"; 9, 10, 11 and 12n1ay be and webs from units led to formers DD-,thlis arrangement producing three sets of four units each without an idle'folder. v

Or the webs from units 1, 3, 4L and5 be led tothe formers B- B, and the webs 7,8, 9,10 and 11 to the foriners D- D, this arrangement producing two sets of five couples each without passing over an idle" folder or the webs from the units of press P may be led to the formers-B'B and the web's from the units of press P to the formers DD, this arrangement producing two sets of siX units withoutpassing over a former; and, ifdesired, all the webs fr the units of both presses may be associated below either of the formers B -B or D-D by cross-associating across the aisle, as above described. y 7

By varying the location of the. folders or adding more couples and theirfolders,

various other arrangements can provided.

The web guides for press l? have been shown in F1gures 2 and 2a, and it will be understood that similar guides are provided for press P, and the runs of the webs have been shown in full and in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 2a, the guides for directing the webs being indicated generally by the numerals ,7 5, 76.

The units may be driven in any suitable manner and thisqdrive may be such that the presses may be, driven either separately or synchronously, and such adrive is diagrammaticallyfshown 1n dotted llnes in Figures 1. and 1a, inwhich thereare provided a shaft T 80 for pineal and a shaft 81 for press P,

these shafts being connected by chain drive 82 with an intermediate Wing shaft 83. The units and folders are driven from the shafts 80, 81 by the usual miter gears 84,

these gears meshing with gears 85 on short 7 vertical shafts" 86, by which the mechanisms are driven.

Referring now to Figures 6, 6d and 7, a

compact press arrangement is shown oflarge capacity in which a very large number of differentproducts may be obtained. For 1m )llCl fi 111 SllOWlll onl Y the )resses on n a 1 u 1 one side of the aisle are illustrated. It Will be understood that the mechanisms shown are du Jhcated on the other side of the aisle 1] I 3 are the rolders which are shown in Figure 1n the construction illustrated, there is shown arran ed on one side of a space or i a a T H J 1 aisle, marked 100 in nigure 4, two superposed presses, indicated generally by the letters X and Y. The e presses are arranged superposed, the press Y being supported on floor 101 sun )orted from standards 102 ms- I u X 111 from an suitable base 103. Tue ress Y P J will lnclude a plurality of units arranged in 7 H1 .1 hue, tnese units being marked 104, 105, 106, 107 1.08 109 110 and 111 sunported 111 8111i 3 a a a 1 l able framing 112. These units areidentical and each comprises form cylinders 113, 114 and cooperating impression cylinders 115, 116. These units deliver to folders, indicated generally by the letters G and H. These units may as grouped in various ways, but in the particular construction illustrated there is a group of two, as units 104, 105-folder G, three units 106, 107,108-folder H, and three units 109, 110, 111. These units are fed from webs 104', 105', 106', 107', 10s, 109, 110' and 111, which are, as shown, 1 cated below the floor 101. feeding upwardly to the printing mechanisms.

Supported by the framing 112 is a floor or base 117, which supports the printing units of press 'X. In the particular construction illustrated, the printing units of press X are arranged above the printing units of press Y and are similarly grouped. Thus press X includes units 118, 119 with a folder 1, units 120, 121 and 122 with a folder J, and units 123, 124 and 125, these units being supported in framing 126. Each of these units comprises form cylinders 12?, 128 and cooperating impression cylinders 129, 130.

The units of press X are fed from webs 118, 119', 120,121,122,123, 124: and 125, the web rolls from which the webs are fed being located above press X on a'suitable support or base 131, the webs being fed clownwardly to press X from the rolls.

As before stated, the press arrangement described is duplicated together with the folding mechanism on each side of the aisle or space 100, and the folders for the presses on each side will, preferably, be identical, and the folders'l, of the presses 'X, Y, and the folders I, G of the corresponding presses across the aisle are shown in Figure 7 together with certain web leads which are shown as illustrative of the arrangement, it being understood that these web leads are equally applicable to any folders of the presses. Referring now to Figure 7, the folder I has a pair of formers 132, 133, the folder G has a pair of formers 134, 185, the

folder I has a pair of formers 136, 137, and the folder G has a pair of formers 138, 189. In the particular folder arrangement shown, only the folders G, G are provided with folding cylinders, which are indicated by the numerals 140, 141, 142 and 143 these deliverg to fly deliveries 144, 145, 146 and 147, from which the products are delivered in any suitable way, as by tapes. 148 and 149.

The web leads across from folder G to folder G or between the formers of folders G and G are or may be as already described in connection with the folders of presses P and P, and need not be further referred to, the guide rolls there shown being omitted in Figure 7 for the sake of clearness. In addition to these leads, the webs going to folder or to folder 1 may be also led across to the elders of folder G or vice versa, so that products of a wide range may be obtained.

In the particular construction shown in Figure 6 and 6a, the webs of presses X and Y are associated at the folders G and H, the webs from the upper folders l and J passing downwardly outside the other webs, as indicated at 150, 101 in Figure 7, and being associated with the webs'from press. Y at the formers of folders G and H. With the arrangement shown, all the webs have straight runs without the use of turning bars.

It will be seen from the above description that a press of great flexibility has been provided in which the units may be assembled in sets of different numbers without unduly lengthening the press, so that such a press can be installed in press rooms which do not require extraordinary or unusual space. Fun thermore, by cross-associating the products of one press, after they have passed the formers and have been collected, a wide range of products can be obtained.

While the invention has been shown in its preferred form,'it will be understood that certain changes and variations in the location of the folders relatively to the printing mechanisms and in the number of printing mechanisms and folders may be made with out departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What 1 claim is:

1. In a rotary multi-unitprinting machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between, each press including five or more printing units arranged in line the cylinders of which are positioned widthwise of the presses, formers for each press intermediate the units, web guides arranged to lead a web or webs across the space from below a former of one press and associate the led web or webs with web or webs coming from a former of the other press, and a delivery for each press arranged to deliver in opposite directions to each other.

2. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine,

the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between, each press including five or more units arranged in line the cylinders of which are positioned widthwise of the presses, end tormers "for each press, other folders for eachpress intermediate the press units, web guides arranged to lead the webs from below the form- 'ers of one press across the space and associate the led webs with the webs coming from the other press, and a delivery for each press arranged to deliver in opposite directions to each other. a

3. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between, each press including five or more printing units arranged in line the cylinders of which are positioned widthwise of the presses, formers at the end of each press, intermediate formers, folding cylinders below the formers, and web guides arranged to lead a web to a folding cylinder of its press, or to lead a web or webs across the space from below a former of one press and associate the web or webs with a web or webs coming from a former of be other press, guides for directing the asso: ciated webs to a folding cylinder of the latter press, and a deliveryfor each press arranged deliver in opposite directions to each other.

4. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between, each press including five or more printing units arranged in line the cylinders oi which are positioned widthwise of the presses, end formers for each press, intermediate formers, folding cylinders arranged substantially horizontally and below the formers, the inside cylinders being oil'fsetfrom their respective formers toward each other, and web guides arranged to lead a web or webs across from below a former of one press and associate the web or webs with a web or webs coming from a former of the other press.

5. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between,each press including five or more printw my hand.

units arranged in line the cylinders of which are positioned widthwise of the presses,

double wide formers for each press located intermediate the printing units, and web guides for leading all the webs of one press from below the formers across the space and associating them at a former of the other press with the webs of the latter press.

6. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between, each press including five or more printing units arranged in line with .a space between the cylinders of each unit being arranged widthwise of the presses, double wide end rormers for each press, intermediate two presses, intermediate formers for each press, and webguides arranged to lead the webs over the formers of each press or to lead a web .or webs after longitudinally folding from the upper presses across the space and then downwardly and associate such web or webs with a web or webs coming from one of: g

the presses across the space.

8. In a rotary multi-unit printing machine, the combinationor' two presses arranged side by side with a elatively wide aisle space between, each comprising two printing units, a folder, three printing units, a folder,

and three printing units arranged in the order named, two similar presses and folders arranged above the first two presses, formers for each press, and web guides arranged to lead the webs over the formers of each press or to lead aweb or webs after longitudinally folding from the upper presses across the space and then downwardly and-associate such web or webs with a web or webs coming from one of the presses across the space.

9. In a rotary multiunit printing machine, the combination of two presses arranged side by side with a relatively wide aisle space between each press including five or more printing units arranged in line thecylinders of which are positioned widthwise of the presses,

intermediate formers for each press, folding cylinders arranged substantiallyhorizontally below the formers, the inside cylinders being oi'lset from their respective formers toward each other, and web guides arranged to lead a web across the space and associate it with a web coming from a former or: the otherpress.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set HARRYV. BALL; 

